//------------------------------// // 10. Bonjour, Mon Ami! Part 2 // Story: A New Impetus // by Zykov //------------------------------// Noble placed his hooves on a counter, his eyes focused on the pony behind it. “Um... excuse me?” The station clerk turned to look at Noble and immediately put on a smile. “Oh hello sir, how may I help you?” “I…” Noble’s ears folded back on his head as he paused for a moment looking down and to the left, but eventually his head rose again knowing he had to get what he came for. “I’d like to buy one train ticket to Horseshoe Bay for two weeks from now. ” The pony nodded as he tapped a few buttons. “Can do, sir. One way or return ticket?” There was a pause before Noble answered, his ears lowered and he sulked his shoulders while the disfavor of the situation sat before him. “Yes, a one way ticket please.” “Very well, one way ticket to Horseshoe Bay, two weeks from now,” The pony reciprocated the order with an innocent pleasant tone as he typed in the last bit of information and produced a ticket and receipt. “The ticket has two days change policy. Have a pleasant and safe trip, sir.” “Thank you,” Noble said giving a small bow and gave the bits to the stallion. As he did, he took the ticket and moved out of the line, a small sigh escaping his lips and his head drooped. He blankly gazed at the ticket thinking about how real this situation actually was now. Suddenly, the stallion felt a leg as it gently wrapped around him, causing him to raise his head and turn quickly, snapping back to attention almost dropping his ticket. The leg belonged to the very familiar green maned and yellow coated mare who’s ears were folded down with teary eyes. She focussed on the ticket Noble was holding. “S-So it’s officially official now…” The earth pony stood, holding the ticket and gave a faint nod and paused, looking up and felt like his heart was breaking as he looked at the weeping mare. He realized that his nod may have gone unnoticed so he spoke up, “Yes, unfortunately…” Truffle rubbed her nose and eyes as her hoof trembled. “Don’t you think we could’ve looked at more job ads together or something…? Maybe we could’ve found something tomorrow...” Noble shook his head, he reached back in his saddlebag pulling out a handkerchief and offered it to the mare. “No Truffle, this was the only choice I had left. Even if I got a new job at this point, I wouldn’t be able to pay my rent in time.... Going back to my old hometown is my only option.” The green mare took the handkerchief and wiped her eyes and nose. “I understand… Well at least we can look on the bright side…” Truffle immediately grabbed the stallion’s head and pulled their heads together so their cheeks were pushed together tightly. ”At least you get to leave this oh so cruel city and may find something better, returning to your roots!” The stallion struggled to scoot back, trying gently to push his cheek away from the mare. “At weast... I whon’t hab to sweep in the tstreets.” Once he finished speaking he stopped struggling and cut his eyes toward Truffle. Letting go of Noble’s head the unicorn relaxed her face muscles and used a more serious tone while her ears dropped. “True and yeah, being all serious, your situation could be worse… You could have nowhere to go…” Her ears flipped back up and a smile spread across her face as she pointed at him with puffy red eyes. “...but it is fortunate you can go back home. We could have housed you for for a bit, but of course there are limits to that...” Noble tilted his head up, closing his eyes, looking out to the clock tower. “True. It’s funny, as much as I abhor this city I am still sad that I have to leave it. Alas cruel Canterlot, my tender feelings have faded, I tried to drink from the pond but was pulled in and almost drowned in the ocean. I have fond memories, apartments, jobs, favorite places, and most of all... ” The stallion had a strange solemn smile on his lips, he turned to give the mare a soft look, though he seemed even gloomier than just a second ago. “...All the close ponies around me... Leaving behind everything I have in this city, I can almost feel the fragments of my heart breaking off.” He put a hoof over his heart as he spoke, his smile diminishing rapidly. Her body shook and her lip quivered as she listened, she brought a hoof up to cover her lips. “Aww. I surely understand. Just imagining if Olivia for example moved to another town would be heartbreaking…” The green hoof left her lips and pulled Noble’s left hoof up and held it in front of her. “That’s why I promise to write you every day and I demand that you demand your other friends stay in touch too!” Noble’s lips just barely crawled upwards and he even let out a little chuckle through all his gloominess. “Thank you Truffle, that means a lot. I’ll be sure to keep you informed on how I am.” “Good! I’m not expecting anything less!” As she released the stallion's hoof she brought a hoof back and wiped her eyes again before placing her fourth hoof back on the ground and lifting the other pointing down the street. “Hey, wanna go have tea? I know a place nearby who is run by a friend who actually owes me for setting up a date for her. She demanded it and I haven’t used the chance, so we would get some free from her.” Noble’s ears flipped back up and he nodded with a weak shrug. “Well, alright, that sounds good. I really could use some...” The mare draped a leg around Noble again with a wide smile that crossed over her lips, beginning to lead the stallion to the cafe, attempting to keep her leg over Noble as they walked. “In that case let’s go!” His ears twitched and drew back even though his lips turned slightly upward. “If you insist, please lead the way.” When they began walking Noble walked closer to the mare, being careful of where he stepped as not to trip Truffle or break the embrace. It didn’t take them long to get to the cafe, since it was in the same Topaz Square they were at. The cafe was pretty nice looking. It has that typical, stylish Canterlot look with mostly white decorations. When the two ponies arrived at its terrace, Truffle glanced around the terrace and asked Noble to get a table for them while she went inside to order their teas. A moment later Truffle comes back with two plates that each had a steaming cup of water, a tea bag and also a donut all being carried by her magic. Setting the cups and plates down on the table, the mare sat down in front of Noble and ripped her tea package open, dropping the bag into her water. “Sorry… I’m sure you would’ve rather redeemed these cups with Olivia,” Noble spoke after tearing the tea packet open with his teeth and holding the string with his hooves clamped together. His eyes peered down at the cup as his ears were still lowered as well. “Oh no, don’t worry about it! Cuddles doesn’t like coffee or tea at all and going to have one all alone would be so dreary. I’m more than glad to share this with you! Consider this as some kind of...” The mare winced and she went silent. Her ears and eyes drooped downward and she tilted her head down to the right, crushed by her own words. Her eyes turned, resting on the plate. She lifted the donut from her plate and extended her gaze up at Noble again, a small empathic smile crawling to her lips. “Well, some kind of farewell gift, maybe...?” Watching his friend in such a sad state, although it was fairly common with her mood swings she it still pulled at the stallion’s heart strings.. He took a moment to find the right words before speaking. “Well… we they will be a farewell gift until we see eachother again. I’ll write and we’ll see one another again, I’m sure.” He gave a smile flipping his ears up and closing his eyes as he forced it trying to bring a positive light back to the conversation. “Good!” Truffle said as she put a big smile upon her face and leaned forward to pat Noble’s hoof. “Then drink your tea, eat your donut and enjoy every sip and bite of them,” she chanted and leaned back, lifting her cup and taking a small sophisticated sip of her tea.. That caused Noble to actually give a chuckle, then he lifted the tea, nodding. “Of course my lady.” Truffle couldn’t help but giggle too as she raised her head. “Just be careful not to spill. Stains are the last thing a white shirt needs.” Saying that made her immediately lower her head and take a closer look at the shirt, squinting her eyes. “By the way, is that new? I’ve never seen you out of your usual blue before except in your uniform.” The earth pony placed a hoof on his chest and looked down trying to recall what shirt had been next in line in his closet this morning, seeing one of his white shirts shining back at him. “Oh. Yes, it actually is. Soul recommended I wear white for a change since he thought that ‘blue doesn’t go well together with my coat’.” “Soul?” Truffle scrunched her eyebrows puzzled by the name, but it didn’t take even a second for her to recall the name. “Oh, Soul! Your bosom buddy; right?” Scrunching down his eyebrows before raising one while his mouth grew wide, puzzled by the word choice. “Umm… sure, rightttt. Though I’m not really into clothes like he is, even though I admit white does look better on me. I guess.” The stallion relaxed his expression, lifting his donut. “He has even applied to artisan training and is searching for a tutor.” “Best friend is what I mean. I see! Wait, I don’t think I have ever met him,” she announced gripping her cup with both hooves and giving it a swirl before taking a sip. The earth pony’s eyes peered looked toward the sky as his head tilted up slightly with them while he bit his bottom lip as he tried to recall if he’s ever introduced the two. “True, I don’t think you have.” Giggling at the stallions amusing thinking face, the mare shifted her cup to one hoof, balancing it before she pointed at his new shirt with her other hoof. “Anyways, did he buy that collar for you? You know, as a farewell gift too?” “Uh… yeah um… You see…” The stallion looked down and slid his legs closer, his voice fading. “I haven’t mentioned the severity of my plans or situation to him yet…” Hearing this caused Truffle to almost drop her teacup. Her eyes grew as wide as saucers and she looked at the stallion shocked. “What…? What?!” The mare stood up and reached across the table, grabbed Noble’s cheeks and pulled him forward. “Noble, hiding something like this from your bosom buddy is a big NO NO! You must tell him or he will lose trust in you forever!” “I can’t throw my burden on him though. It’s my problem and I don’t want him to worry about me! He has everything here,” Noble’s voice sank and his words trembled from his mouth. “... and he won’t be that shaken if I leave.” The stallion sank down in his seat, he just wanted to escape Truffle’s grip anyway possible. His eyes hit the table for a moment, noticing what Truffle’s sudden leap caused. He pointed at the spot. “U-Um… you spilled your tea…” Truffle’s attention immediately shifted to the spot below her and as she saw the spilled tea she immediately pulled back blushing bright read, clenching her teeth and looked away. “U-Um… oops…” Noble got a chance to sit back upright again and let out a sigh of relief. Though his eyes fell when his eyes met the embarrassed mare’s face again. A small emphatic smile grew over his face and he reached to pat her hoof. “It happens,” he said with a soft tone and reached for the napkins on the table but noticed the box for them was empty. He stood up from his seat. “Um, I’ll go get some napkins from another table.” “Thankies…” The mare nodded picking the cup up and pushing her plates so she could get to the spill that had started dripping off the table causing her to scoot away. After glancing around for a short moment at the other tables he spotted one with a large amount of napkins, he stood up and took a step toward the table but his attention was still on his friend. “Don’t feel bad, it was luckily just a small cup of te---” Noble didn’t get a chance to finish before he felt how he collided into something, no, somepony.. The stallion almost fell onto his flank, but the mare he bumped into on the other hoof managed to maintain her balance and barely caught what was about to fall to the ground with a loud gasp. “Oh my! That was too close!” The mare let out a sigh of relief though an undertone of annoyance could be heard from it. When Noble managed to regain his balance and awareness of what just happened, he was about to apologize but the sight of the mare he ran into left him with his mouth agape and face flushed. Noble’s eyes floated over her lavender mane. The mare seemed to turn around in slow motion, her mane whisking through the air. Her eyes curved into a piercing glare. It didn’t take long for Noble to regain his composure, his mouth dropped and his ears drooped back as his eyes enlarged. He bowed before the mare. “I-I am so sorry miss I didn’t mean to harm you!” His heart raced and his mind was spinning through thoughts of how to redeem himself in the mare’s eyes. His eyes shifted up to gaze at the mare’s face, the pouty look made him sink further down, he took a final glance at the mare then looked away thinking of what she may shout at him and being ready for his thoughts of her to be shattered. The pouty faced mare just looked at the stallion throughout his apology, but when she saw the stallions look and ears drooping, she eased her face muscles and let out a soft sigh as she motioned for Noble to stand up. “It’s quite alright sir, it doesn’t seem like any harm was done. Please, you can stand up.” Hearing that, the stallion nodded and slowly regained his posture again, his ears still folded down. He wouldn’t dare disgrace the mare by giving her even a small glance. “T-Thank you, I… I’m really sorry again, m-miss…” “Rarity,” The mare spoke, extending a hoof to assist the stallion up. “You needn’t dwell on this accident, as I said before no harm was done, truly. I really do appreciate your humbleness though, mister...” Her voice trailed off and she turned her head, opening an ear as she shifted her eyes to see the stallion when he spoke. Taking her hoof and allowing her to help him up he took a step back and finally peered into the mare’s eyes when she wore a smile. “Oh! T-Thank you. I am glad...” It took a moment of silence for the stallion to properly collect himself and realize that the mare was waiting for him to introduce himself. Since he wanted to throw himself out and seem confident he quickly spoke. “Well um, you are too you are WAY too pretty to not know my name… I-I am Noble Poet.” The stallion stood up straight and extended a hoof giving a half faced smile. Rarity’s eyes grew wide and she blinked while crouching her upper body as she took a step back which was followed by a very awkward smile which twisted across her face. She let out a fake chuckle and darted her eyes around looking for other ponies, even though she was worried she extended her hoof and placing it on the stallions to shake. “Well um… thank you for the rather... flattering comment. Again, thank you for your concern but I’m afraid I must go now since I am here with somepony.” The stallion sulked his shoulders and frowned a bit, he scratched the ground with his hoof feeling foolish that he thought the beauty would be here alone. “O-Oh… Alright I understand. I won’t hold you any longer...” Rarity smiled pleasantly at the stallion before she turned around, gave another flip of her hair and headed toward the entrance. Letting out a low disappointed sigh, Noble grabbed some napkins off the closest table and sulked back and sat back at the table where Truffle had been watching him with an ear to ear grin. The mare leaned toward her friend and put a hoof in front of her mouth and whispered, “That was adorable! Though don’t feel bad about it, I could immediately see that she was not the right mare to fit your tastes.” She giggled and gave a wink before pulling back. Noble lifted the napkins and set them in the empty holster they would have been in if it were full and turned his hoof, placing his elbow on the table and resting his head on his hoof, looking down at his tea and donut. “I suppose… Anyway, what were you talking about before, umm that?” “Wild Soul of course.” The mare perked up, taking some napkins from the bunch and wiping down the table as she soaked up the mess she made. The name ‘Wild Soul’ caused Rarity, who had stopped to look inside her bag to ensure nothing fell out, to freeze. Her ears perked and eyes widened a bit as she turned her head at the duo. Out of curiosity, she decided to listen for a bit, flipping her other ear down in order to hear better as she disguised herself by lowering her body as if she was looking for something on the ground. Back at the table, Noble winced and put on a wide awkward grin. “Oh right…” Noble turned his head to the right while looking down. He bent his left foreleg rubbing his right foreleg as he looked away. “So, um… Right, I will tell him about my departure soon… I just don’t know how to break it to him. Any suggestions?” “Noble!” Truffle called out and scooched her chair around the table and grabbed the stallions cheeks again, turning his head so their eyes met. “All I want is that you promise me that you will talk to him. You’d want him to tell you if he were moving away wouldn’t you? You should just invite him to a candlelit dinner tonight and make it a magical last day for the two of you.” The stallion’s eyes grew and he pulled his neck back, trying to pull away from the mare’s grip. He finally reached up and moved her hooves off her cheeks. “Umm. I appreciate the suggestion, though I don’t think either one of us really want any kind of romantic dinner with one another,” Noble replied and gave a short laugh at the end, trying to not offend her. “What?! No no no no no.” She pulled her hooves back and waved them in front of her. “I didn’t mean that at all. If it were romantic you’d have a red candle, but you two are friends and want to keep it friendly, so you should use a white candle instead.” Noble scratched his chin with his hoof. “Well, that may not be that bad... I may make it less fancy and could just ask him to come eat with me somewhere like usual.” Rarity wasn’t sure what that was all about, but the secretive tone the ponies had made her frown. Regardless, she knew she couldn’t just stand there forever, so she shook it off for now and entered the cafe, just passing through the door, though her attention was still on the conversation the duo were having. “Did you find them?” A voice echoed catching Rarity’s ears. “Hmm?” Rarity questioned in a polite and soft tone, looking up she realized that she didn’t notice that Soul had walked over and stood just past the doorway in front of her. Soul was at just the right spot where he stood out of sight of the duo Rarity was listening to and looked at the mare with an eyebrow raised. “Need some help?” Rarity immediately realized how she’d just been standing there like a statue. Her eyes grew wide, her cheeks rosy and she gritted her teeth. She snapped back to attention, standing up straight and cleared her throat. “Oh, yes! Thank goodness I did find them. I … No, no help is needed. Let’s go.” She galloped inside as she did she turned the stallion and guided him back to their table preventing him from accidentally noticing the duo outside. All Soul was able to do was be spun around by the mare, looking back, surveying the ground where Rarity had been hunkered down for so long. He was unable to see anything that she left or anything out of the ordinary that would catch her attention. He scratched his head as she pulled him along. As they reached their table, Rarity immediately sat down in her seat and quickly presented the two rolls of fabric she had, a bead of sweat formed upon her forehead. “It seems I did leave them in the store after all which is… quite embarrassing. I suppose I got a wee bit carried away when I introduced you to the other materials there.” An awkward laugh escaped her mouth. Soul let out a small laugh and gathered papers he had on the table, putting them aside. “It happens. What matters is that they aren’t lost.” His focus shifted from Rarity to the fabrics but when he took a closer look, he frowned a bit. “Wait, those were some of the most expensive fabrics, right?” Rarity held a hoof on her chest as a small sigh of relief escaped her mouth when Soul didn’t ask why she was just standing by the door. She raised her head and put on her elegant smile. “Indeed. I don’t even want to imagine the disaster that would’ve come out of this if I didn’t notice them until I got home.” Soul fixed his posture and puffed out his chest slightly, presenting a side view of himself to Rarity and extended his hooves as if holding a camera, closing his other eye. “The video camera zooms in, the artisan looks at it, shrugs innocently and the final failure music plays which cues the audience to laugh and clap.” That statement made Rarity scrunch her eyebrows a bit as her lips narrowed, pouting since she wasn’t really sure what Soul even meant. Becoming quiet he lowered his hooves, he gently laid them down crossing them on the table.. “Uh… Sorry, nevermind.” He quickly changed the subject sliding some papers that he had laid out over the table toward Rarity. “Anyway, I’ve been browsing through these apartment ad’s while you were gone.” Rarity leaned in and pulled her reading glasses out of her bag. “Oh really? How do they look?” “They look pretty nice. Like houses,” Soul said with a small laugh and leaned against the table. “I must say that I really like the overall architecture of Ponyville. Stylish but earthy.” The mare slid them around the table from one side to the other as she looked over some of his selections. “You do? Well, I’m glad it appeals to you though in my opinion, it isn’t anything that special. It’s comfy and such though my taste requires a bit more… elegance.” She spoke the last word and gave off a short giggle. As Rarity flipped through the fliers he had pulled out, Soul took his mug taking another sip. “So a trip to Canterlot every now and then is a joy to the eyes for you?” She flipped through the last one and with a glimmer from her horn she placed them all into a nice neat stack and slid it over next to the stallion. “Exactly.” Giving her coffee a stir she lifted it and took a sip before speaking. “I once dreamed of living here and I would be lying if I said I still wouldn’t want to just a bit, but there are things in Ponyville I would never want to give up nowadays.” “Home is always a home. I get that.” “Indeed. And some good friends can make it a home.” Rarity interjected with a pleasant sigh as she put her hooves together, resting her head on them while gazing into the distance as she recalled a lovely picnic she had with her friends just the other day. Suddenly her mind clicked and she recalled Soul’s name being mentioned by the duo outside, especially that flirtatious stallion. “Oh, Soul, may I ask a question?” Soul crossed his hooves and looked forward, he cleared his mind as he was ready for a question on anything. “Sure. What is it?” The mare shifted her right foreleg forward and bent her hoof at the wrist, as she closed her eyes while she began to speak, a little tense. “This will sound very odd, but do you happen to have any friends who are… happening to be leaving town?” The designer was unprepared for this odd personal question and blankly sat as the corners of his lips turned in opposite directions. “Um, no? Why?” “Oh dear!” Rarity turned her outward pointing hoof in and lowered it almost to her chest, tilting her head down and in toward her body as she did. “Well, when I was coming back from the store, some stallion bumped into me and well, before I got back inside I heard him mention your name and something about leaving town and not telling you.” “You did? Um, how did this stallion look like?” Rarity had captured Soul’s attention and he leaned forward awaiting an answer as his ears twitched. “Actually I got his name. Noble Poet I believe.” The mare lifted her head, now feeling better that she could give a name. “Noble?” Soul repeated as his eyes grew slightly wider and his voice grew slightly uneasy. “I sure know him rather well. He’s a friend of mine.” The stallion turned to look at the entrance. “He’s at the terrace?” Rarity gave a slow nod and pointed with a hoof. “Yes. He and a charming young mare had been sitting just outside of the door when your name came up.” She brought her hoof to her mouth where her lips had closed in a tight ‘o’ and her eyes sulked as she realized she may have overstepped her role. “We can go speak with them if you’d like to. I shall be in Canterlot all day, truly there is no rush.” Soul tapped his lower lip with his left hoof, his eyes never left the front door through the artisan’s proposal. “Huh… Well I most certainly want to know what that was all about… You see, he kinda lost his job a few weeks ago and gets closer to a crisis every day, so---” Soul’s heart jumped to his throat and his eyes grew wide open when a thought hit his mind. He realized what Noble’s talk could actually mean. “Oh no… Could he…” Rarity lowered her hoof and eased her lips though her eyes remained concerned. “What is it?” “Um, nevermind. One unceasing thought just occured in my mind that I should discuss with my friend but I’ll deal with it later,” He said as he shook his head but even as he spoke to the artisan his eyes traveled to the door. The artisan continued watching the stallion with a rather serious look. She couldn’t help the uneasiness growing inside when seeing the look on her apprentice’s face. “Soul, I’ve seen expressions like that before. Whenever I see that expression on a friend, client or any pony I am close to, I know they are enveloped in their thoughts, which means it will be on their mind the whole day and they will be distracted most of the time. If there’s a problem on your mind that you can solve simply by having a conversation with your friend, then I highly suggest you go.” Taken aback by Rarity’s push, Soul blinked at Rarity’s suggestion. Even though he would’ve wanted to go speak to him, he was too hesitant to say yes in fear of bad impression. Regardless he just shook his head. “No, I’m not like that. I’m not willing to stop our meeting because of this.” The mare’s eyes grew wide and replied without hesitation but with a soft voice, “Nonsense!” She quickly extended a hoof cutting off the stallion and rolled up her fabrics with her magic. “I’ve seen the outcomes of that face too many times in my career. Besides…” She gave the stallion sympathetic smile and placed his papers in his bag for him as well. “It would be a crime not to talk it out when you have a chance this quickly, I’m simply not going to be an obstacle.” “Oh, though…” Soul’s train of thought trailed off as the mare had packed and had stood up and was wasting no time in pushing the stallion along. Normally he would want to conclude this what he was still considering as an interview before attending to personal matters but Rarity wasn’t allowing him the opportunity to postpone this talk. Rarity finally packed her bags and placed her satchels on her back. She turned and looked back at Soul. “Are you coming? We can bring our beverages with us.” Reluctantly Soul turned and stood up on all fours, he moved his satchels and drink closer to the edge of the table. “Rarity, are you absolutely sure you don’t mind taking time out of our meeting to talk with my friend? I mean you said he was talking to some mare about his situation. I would happily finish our meeting then contact Noble later.” Rarity closed her eyes and whisked her hair through the air as she turned her head. “Do I really have to repeat myself?” “No... I was just making sure. Thanks, I guess.” Soul gave a small smile while putting the paper pile into his folder and the folder into his saddleback which he slid on his back before leaving the table. When the two made it to the outside just a bit further from the door without being spotted by the duo, this time Soul could immediately spot Noble and his companion. Noble was listening to Truffle speak and his eyes mostly turned down as his thoughts raced and he only looked up to look at the joyful mare. The stallion took a deep breath before starting to approach them, though he slowed his pace when a sudden and somewhat random idea came to his mind which caused him to actually chuckle at it. He took quiet steps towards Noble making his way behind his back. The conversation between the two at the table stopped instantly when Truffle noticed the white stallion which left her with an open mouth and slightly scrunched eyebrows. “Uh… Noble?” “Hmm?” Noble inquired and tilted his head. “SPIDER!” Soul yelled and poked Noble under both of his scapulas. The poet jolted up as if he he had just sat on pile of pins, the sudden jab and cry caused him to wince and downright squeak in terror, almost dropping from his seat with loud gasps. Supporting Noble a little before he fell, Soul let out a little chuckle and gave his friend a pleasant smile. “Hello buddy, how’s it going?” “Soul?!” Noble said as his eyes darted between the confused looking Truffle and his friend, his heart still pounding. “Are you kidding me? I almost had a heart attack.” The unicorn raised a leg up to his side, hoof up. “I couldn’t resist. The opportunity was too good to pass up.” Truffle still sat, mouth agape and could only raise a hoof and point at the white unicorn. “Wait you are THE Soul?” In an instant she lept up, ran around the table and took his right hoof in her hooves, shaking rapidly then dropped it to wrap her forelegs around Soul, pressing her left cheek against his. “Oh my gosh yes! Noble has talked about you being his best friend but it’s great to see you in person. I’m Truffle, nice to meet you!” “W-What the…?” The typical freezing effect hit Soul immediately as the overly affectionate mare touched his hoof. After she had him in a cheek to cheek embrace, he dropped through her grip and dove behind his tan friend. “N-Noble plese tell me this thing doesn’t lay eggs…” Once Soul slid out from her hug the mare fell over but stood back up, looking over at him. “Excuse me…?” “Um, Truffle maybe letting it go would be for the best. It’s just how he is,” said the earth pony as he held up his forehooves to the mare. After addressing Soul, Noble turned back toward the cowering unicorn. “And Soul… that was a bit rude…” Taking a step back and releasing the earth pony's shoulders. “Sorry, but I almost died there...” he said with an awkward chuckle. Standing back, further from the table Rarity had been watching the trio, not really being sure about what to think of the scene. She couldn’t help but wonder about Soul’s sudden change in attitude. Just a second ago she saw him as a quiet and calm stallion, but immediately when he came outside it was like adding color to a black and white picture. After properly intruding Truffle to Soul and clearing up Soul’s ‘No touch’ -rule to her, his focus shifted to Rarity who was now approached the group. “That was a rather interesting way to… make an entrance,” Rarity spoke while looking at Soul with her head tilted to the left slightly. At that instant Noble’s voice muted which left him with his eyes widened and heart skipping a beat. “W-Wait, Rarity?” His eyes darted between Soul and the mare. “Are… you with… with Soul?” Soul looked back at Rarity. “Oh that’s right. I suppose some proper introduction would be appropriate.” Soul took two cushions from a table nearby, sitting on one and offering the other seat for Rarity before he shifted his focus back at Noble. “I heard about your little ‘get together’ just a moment ago.” “Yes, it was… let’s say quite an unfortunate little mishap.” Rarity closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, a bead of sweat forming on her forehead as she leans back, though not wanting to cause an awkward silence she leans inward and extended a hoof. “But regardless of that, let me introduce myself properly. I’m Rarity, an artisan, seamstress, shopkeeper and fashion designer.” “A fashion designer?” Noble’s eyes glistened as he reached out to shake her hoof. “Um, Noble Poet, a poet, if I may call myself that…” Taking a moment to process the list of occupations Rarity stated, the earth pony’s eyes rolled back and forth looking at both Soul and Rarity. “Soul, is she…?” With a lift of his right leg Soul patted his chest with a delighted smile on his face as he held his head high. “Yep, just a couple hours ago we confirmed that she will be my new tutor.” “What? She is?” His head quickly shot between the two once more, seeing Rarity give a nod of approval. “I… Congratulations!” It was all he could do to break a smile, he was happy for his friend but his muscles were tense as could be. Truffle chimed in, having turned her body so she could face the group. “No wonder you are so pretty then!” Hearing the complement Rarity flipped her mane with a hoof and struck a glamorous pose with one hoof held up in the air and blinking her eyes tantalizingly. “Oh thank you! That was very kindly said miss… Truffle? Is that right?” Truffle giggled and gave Rarity a nod along with one of her delightful smiles. She offered a hoof and as their hooves connected she swayed their forelegs back and forth in an unusual shaking manner. “At your service, it’s a pleasure.” “So yep, Rarity is my new tutor, though… “ Soul lowered his tone and looked directly at Noble with drooping eyes. “She’s not from Canterlot… Her hometown is Ponyville.” Noble tensed up just from the look and he shook a little, feeling some bad news coming as his mind began to race with horrible thoughts. “What? Oh… Ponyville isn’t very far, right?” “Getting right to the point it seems like…” Rarity thought to herself. Before speaking Soul let out a large sigh and took a breath. “Noble, I will be moving to Ponyville. But I suppose that doesn’t really affect you in any way, right?” he said boldly and bluntly. Those words struck the stallion like a ton of bricks. He looked over his friend, trying to see a hint of sarcasm or that this may be a joke. “What? I… What do you mean?” Soul’s focus rotated to the white unicorn mare while his body stayed planted before Noble. “You see, Rarity, I haven’t told Noble that my possible learning place might be somewhere other than Canterlot.” Rarity gave her apprentice a blank stare, her lips narrowing as she was not sure what the proper reaction or course of action would be for this scenario. Soul took a deep breath and guided his eyes back to his friend. “Noble, is your situation that bad that you have to move out of town?” Noble’s heart almost literally skipped a beat when those words came out of Soul’s mouth. He was paralyzed and for a few moments could only shake and helplessly watch his friend under his demanding watch. “I... you… W-What? How did you hear about that?” Soul backed away from the table, glowering his eyes and crossing his forelegs. “Rarity told me how she overheard you talking about moving out of town.” Noble couldn’t form a single other word. His eyes shifted from Soul to the mare next to him whose expression was full of curiosity but mixed with worry. He continued to open his mouth and move his lips without being capable of forming a single other word. Raising a hoof to pause Noble’s aimless stuttering, Truffle places a hoof on his shoulder and laid her chin on it, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes. “Noble, please. Just tell him, that secrecy is beating you up. Even I wouldn’t know about this if I hadn’t found out by accident and that felt heartbreaking!” With a scowl and an harsh grumpy town Soul barked, “So it’s true?” The earth pony’s shoulders drooped and he closed his eyes while his head tilted down and he called out. “Please just stop! Yes, it’s true. I’m running low on money. Very low and I can’t make it here anymore. I’ve... I’ve already given up my apartment, bought a train ticket and gotten boxes to gather up my stuff. That’s the situation I’m in right now and I just didn’t want to throw my problems on your shoulders!” Noble’s mild outburst left the group speechless. They were all looking at each other, hesitant to speak. Rarity looked like she wanted to open her mouth but before she got a chance to, Soul had begun to speak in a much calmer voice. Soul uncrossed his forelegs and looking into Noble’s eyes with a gentle stare. “Noble… You should’ve just told me whenever it started to look like this.” As Noble peered back into the now much kinder eyes of his friend. He put his forehooves together in his lap. “What difference would it’ve made? My telling you would’ve just burdened you with needless worries.” “Maybe, but so what? I wouldn’t have fallen apart from that…” Soul leaned in and gave a sigh. “And well, the truth is that I always knew and even planned that I would have to move out of Canterlot but... I didn’t tell you because you were in the middle of your job crisis.” Noble’s calves on his forelegs tightened to where you could see his veins. He closed his eyes and his left eyebrow began to twitch, he leaned forward on the table, his voice a bit shaky yet stern. “I lost a job simply because I’m an earth pony… Yeah I would call that some kind of job crisis alright… But… I… I understand… I would’ve probably even asked you to stay if you broke it to me back then…” The mares glowered at Soul and Truffle leaned in to attempt to whisper to him. “Let’s not dirty that dish again, shall we?” The horned stallion frowned at his friend’s statement but when Truffle whispered to him his lips parted slightly, leaving his mouth open and his eyebrows lowered and his eyes scoured left and right. “Wha… Wait what does that even mean? Dirty what?” Rarity, being close enough to hear the squabble, took a few steps in, leaning in to whisper as well. “Soul, I know I am an outsider on this and this may not be my place, but it seems this job loss is still a fresh scar on his mind. Let’s not tear something before it’s fully mended, shall we?” With that explanation the horned gentlecolt smacked his forehead with his hoof. “I see that being quite impossible....” The tan earth pony cleared his throat, his lips turned down and a knot on the side of his forehead. “You all know I am right here and can hear every word you are saying, right? I shouldn’t have brought it up. I’m sorry for keeping this from you.” He sank lower in his seat, bowing his head while his eyes grew dull. “I understand if you don’t want to be my friend anymore.” Soul’s eyebrows dropped and the mares became quiet and looked away, frowning and rubbing their forelegs. The stallion closed his eyes and shook his head. “If you’re going to start a long discussion about how you’re not worthy of being my friend, I will…” He searched over the table and spotted a donut, and lifted it with his magic. “I will choke you with this donut!” Noble sat for a moment, looking at his tea. He closed his eyes and gave a few huffing chuckles before looking up with a wide smile on his face. “Thank you Soul, that was exactly what I needed to hear.” The pale stallion smiled back, placing the donut back on the plate in front of Noble. “Good, I’m glad to hear that. I’m sorry for keeping this from you too. I should have told you earlier. So um… are we good?” He extended a hoof above the table, waiting for Noble to meet him halfway. Sitting up just a little more Noble nodded, bringing a hoof up and clopping his hoof together with Soul’s. “Of course, best friends forever!” Soul’s eyebrows dropped halfway. “Corny… Very corny.” He couldn’t help but let out a little laugh though. Truffle was glancing at the stallions with big glowing eyes and a blush covering her face, holding a hoof on her widely spreaded mouth. “Oh my gosh you are just the cutest! I can’t even describe how hard it is not to wrap my hooves around you two and squeeze you, Not to mention pinch your cheeks!!” Soul immediately turned to look at Truffle with shocked face, her statement rendered him speechless. He slowly started to scoot his seat around the table and behind Noble in a hope of sanctuary, which actually caused the tan earth pony to chuckle again. Truffle giggled and held a hoof up to her lips. “See, Noble? It feels much better now, doesn’t it?” “A bit… Thank you, you all.” He nodded and looked back at the unicorn behind him and the mares around the table. The green mare clapped her hooves together. “Good! Now going back to Horseshoe Bay shouldn’t be that hard. Think, you get to leave this town behind and go back to your good old home!” Shaking his head Noble reached on the table and cupped his mug with his hooves. “No, that IS the hardest part… If I could I would go anywhere else I would, but not back to my roots.” Taken aback a bit, Soul scratched his head. “What? Why? Having a place to go to when things are bad is like a small sanctuary.” “I’ve managed to built my own independent life here. It may not be the most glorious one but I built it. Back in Horseshoe Bay, everything was built and decided FOR me… I couldn’t feel like an individual. Here I could at least feel like I am an individual and could build my own future. That is till Double Bit came around…” Noble scooted and leaned against the window to the cafe, lifting up his tea and taking a sip. Soul drew his neck back and lightly clenched his teeth while rubbing his neck. “Well that sure makes your situation rather complicated again…” Noble put his tea back down and slammed his head against the table and let out a big sigh, rolling his eyes. “I know right..” The green mare gave the earth pony a pat on his back. “There there.” Lifting a hoof and speaking up Rarity made her presence known once again. “Pardon me, but… Have I understood everything correctly; Noble lost his job and because he didn’t find a new one, he can’t afford his living here and has to move back to his old hometown because that’s the only place he can go but doesn’t wish to go?” Soul thought, “That’s right, Rarity is still with us and is mostly in the dark here…” Moving forward and crossing his forelegs on the table the designer responded, “Pretty much.” “Well if that’s the case…“ A wide smile crawled over Rarity’s face. “I might have the perfect solution to your problem mon ami. Though, my suggestion purely depends on Soul.” Noble’s ears twitched immediately and he slightly sat up, hoisting his head from the table, looking up at Rarity with inquisitive eyes.” Others also turned to focus on what Rarity had to say. She nodded and sparked her magic, lifting Soul’s saddlebag but before opening it, gave Soul an inquisitive look. “May I?” Soul jolted his head back but turned to the side, leaning on the table and gave a nod. “Sure.” “Thank you.” Rarity opened the biggest pocket and dug up Soul’s folder, placing it on the table. When Soul saw it, he immediately realized what Rarity might have in mind, causing his eyes to bulge a bit. “Are you thinking of-” “Indeed that’s exactly what I’m thinking,” Rarity said immediately giving Soul a wink with a pleasant smile. She dug up the paper pile of apartment ads and started browsing through them. “Apartment ads? Wait are you going to suggest I would move to Ponyville? Um… Sorry, but did you already forget that the reason why I need to go home is because I’m not able to afford living on my own?” The hornless stallion scrunched his eyebrows and frowned, his hopes lowering once again. “Please, of course not. You see..” While browsing the pile, Rarity explained her and Soul’s plans about Soul’s apartment back at Canterlot Spectrum. How they planned on making a deal with the mayor and Soul would perform a big job for her. When Noble heard this he almost couldn’t believe such a deal was possible. The aspiring artisan assistant smiled. “Trust me, this is one hundred percent true. Most of the apartments available are just very small ones for one, but there was this one apartment that happened to stick out.” Rarity took one of the many ads and slid it over to Noble. “Shared apartment?” The poet’s voice was higher as his hopes began to grow and he sat upright. “Mmhmm! This apartment would be a perfect solution for Noble’s situation. Instead of moving back home, you could move to Ponyville to be Soul’s roommate. It may even give you enough time to find a proper job and settle down.” She turned her head and gave a gentle smile “I uh… I.. I’m not sure…” Noble looked down at the paper then at the pale stallion. “I don’t think Soul is willing to take a---” The stallion cut his friend off, as he lifted a hoof up in front of the poet. “We can do it.” Noble’s eyes widened. “What?” There was a moment of silence before Noble spoke again, blinking. “I know you are very strict when it comes to privacy. Why would you want to have me as your roommate?” Soul let out a little laugh and looked at his friend with a pleasant grin. “I think if we make a few rules clear with each other we can make it work just fine. Though…” He stopped and looked at his mentor. “What are the chances of us getting this apartment? It’s rather big I would think.” Rarity interjected while she put the rest of the papers back in Soul’s folder.“You see, this apartment isn’t very popular because Ponyville is a place where people want to live close together in a lively environment which naturally is the center of town. This apartment is off on the outskirts of town, away from the livelier parts. ” Noble frowned and put his hooves together wincing as he spoke. “Sounds a bit sketchy. No offense.” Speaking at almost the same time as his friend Soul smiled, exclaiming, “Sounds cool.” “Anyway, because of these little details, the apartment is uninhabited and rather cheap too. The mayor would be just delighted if somepony would rest it.” She beamed happily, placing her hooves on the table, bent at the elbows and rested her head on her hooves. Truffle nudged the tan stallion with her hoof from across the table. “Noble that’s perfect! If I was you I would take this offer immediately!” Noble’s mouth quivered. “I see… I’m not sure If I should…” The white stallion looked Noble in the eyes. “Come on buddy. what’s the problem? You said Horseshoe Bay isn’t the place you want to go, and now that you’re offered a possibility to move somewhere else with a friend you are saying that to hesitate?” “It’s just a big gamble. I don’t know anything about Ponyville and what kind of job could I get there? It may be the same situation as Canterlot. Not to mention how I am already ready and just have until the end of the month from the kindness of my landlord. ” He put his right elbow on the table, resting his head on his hoof he looked back at Soul. “I just don’t want you to do something you don’t---” The stallion’s horn glew before Noble had a chance to continue, Soul put a half eaten donut into Noble’s mouth, silencing him and put on amused grin. “There, now you’re silent and silence is the purest meaning of consent,” he said with joking tone and gave a little chuckle. Giving Soul a rather annoyed look mixed with confusion with his eyebrows drooped, Noble took the donut out if his mouth and let out a sigh.“Soul I really appreciate it but---” Again Soul paused his friend by guiding the donut back into Noble’s mouth with his magic. causing Noble to flatten his eyes into a rather annoyed expression. “Now now, keep the donut in your mouth and enjoy it. You are coming to Ponyville with me. Please, just once just accept my offer when it’s something you want.” “Look who’s talking,” Rarity quietly said to herself and covered her mouth with her hoof to hide a giggle. Truffle stared on, moving from side to side slowly. “Is.... choking each other with a donut part of your friendship…?” “No, sometimes we use muffins,” Soul joked and laughed. Noble let out a stuffed laugh and took a bite of the donut, chewing quickly to finish the bite before he spoke. “Or cider.” He exhaled once again and gave his friend a pleasant smile. “Fine my answer is yes. You would probably literally choke me next.” “With a muffin.” Soul said with a nod.. Rarity’s pondered the situation and realized that Soul only acts like this among friends. “I’m starting to figure you out Soul,” she whispered. “Oh, but Noble…” Truffle nudged the earth pony again and had a long face. “You already bought a ticket to Horseshoe Bay.” Noble placed a hoof on Truffle’s shoulder and smiled. “No worries, these have a two day return policy. Lucky me.” “So I think that settles it then.” Rarity folded the ad and slid it into her saddleback. “The first thing I shall do when I get back to Ponyville… well be drop my shopping bags off back in my Boutique but after that, I shall visit Mrs. Mayor and tell her that I’ve found her pony.” Noble closed his eyes and raised his head up, looking around the table at Soul and Rarity as he spoke, “Soul, Rartiy… thank you. I don’t know what else to say.... I can’t even express how much this means to me.” Rarity raised her head as a big smile grew over her face and put a hoof on her chest. “Oh I’m just happy I could help with this matter.” Truffle sat up and beamed over everyone. “It’s good Soul wanted to leave town after all, wasn’t it?” “It is.” The tan stallion nodded and looked down at the pouch on his saddle bag that held the ticket. “It’s funny to think about what kind of situations different paths can lead to…” “You said it.” The unicorn sat up and looked down at his watch to check the time. “So yep, it’s final. We’re gonna be roommates.” He grinned and extended a hoof for Noble. Noble smiled widely and clopped hooves with Soul, moving them up and down. The moment they did everything seemed to become quiet around Noble, the only sound that could reach him was the sound of their hooves clopping together. “A big rock has just fell from my mind.” He stood up from his seat, picking up his saddleback, realizing that he had things to do before he forgot. “The first thing I will do is to change this ticket.” The diamond flanked mare stood up clapping her hooves, which lead Truffle to silently copy her. “Magnifique! Everything has clicked into place. If that’s so, then Soul and I are free to continue our little errands. I still have a lot of little accessories I simply have to get.” The whole group gathered their saddlebacks, they emptied plates and cups taking them to a return cart. As they exited the terrace, the group stopped once more to say some final goodbyes. Noble stretched his legs and cracked his neck, before facing his best friend. “Want to meet later today Soul?” “Well I’ve planned to work at home today but… I suppose I can spare my time. Just message me when you want.” He nodded then turned his attention to the green mare. “And Truffle, it was very nice to meet you.” “It was nice to meet you too! Take care of your bestie when the time comes.” She was about to leap to Soul’s neck but at last minute remembered that he didn’t care for that. She pulled her hooves back and put on awkward but innocent grin with a foreleg out to the side. “And Rarity, it was such a honor to meet you. You helped me to find a new home and path for the future.” Noble gave a bow, crossing a foreleg in front of his body. “I really hope that path will be enriching for you.” The mare curtseyed after seeing the bow from the quill flanked stallion. “I suppose the next time we will meet won’t be until Ponyville. Until then, take care Noble.” “You too.” Noble nodded and exchanged glances with Truffle, giving a nudge of his head to indicate that they can go. They begin walking toward the train station, Truffle prancing as her mood had brightened a bit. As the duo walked away, Noble looked at a small patch of grass and saw a small dandelion growing among a bed of flowers. He looked over toward the river, staring at it dreamily and coming to a stop when the memory of two flowers he picked back then came back to his mind. “Maybe, sometimes there isn’t an end. Just the blossoming of something new.” “What was that?” Truffle stopped, raising an eye after she realized that Noble had stopped and mumbled to himself. “Oh nothing. We just need to keep moving forward.” The stallion began walking again and put a hoof over the mare to get her to walk next to him. After they watched the duo get out of earshot, Rarity pulled out a mirror to examine her mane. She ran her hoof over her mane a bit and called to Soul. “Let’s be on our way then. Next I need some new threads.” “Right behind you.” He tightened his saddle bags and had become noticeably more relaxed around the mare. “Hey... I want to say thank you.” She turned to see her saddle bags as she put away the mirror neatly then turned back widening her eyes.“Hmm?” “For all this… you know, what you have done.” Soul smiled, while looking away, unable to make eye contact and looking kind of uncomfortable. She waved a dismissive hoof. “Oh I just did what anypony else would’ve done.” “No, you did more.... A lot more. If you wouldn’t have agreed to become my tutor, done any research about apartments or wouldn’t have set up a meeting with me and Ink, Noble would’ve never gotten this chance. It’s all thanks to your enthusiasm and generosity. You… helped us a lot today and i’m highly grateful for that.” “Well… There’s more to me than just looking pretty, designing clothes and keeping a shop,” she said with a soft smile and chuckled. “I’m just glad my actions actually managed to prevent you and your friend from separating and helped him find a better place to live.” The stallion gave a nod with a wide grin holding up a hood. “I’m looking forward to seeing how thing will turn out in Ponyville.” “There are a few little things you might need to get used to, but you will adapt without even noticing it.” There was a brief moment of silence where the mare simply stood there looking at the unicorn for a moment before speaking up. “And Soul, there is one thing I demand you do when our time together begins.” His ears twitched and he stood up straight. He could tell this was going to be important. “I’m listening.” Her eyes became gentle as the inner eyelids drew up and her lips were the smallest ‘U’ that they could form before she began forming words. “You can do it now too if you want, but at the latest when your studies start; I don’t you to think of me as your tutor or a pony who has authority for you per say.” Soul stayed standing up straight, giving off small nods. He began to reply, “Oh, well… I think I get it. Back when I studied at Manehattan we considered our teachers as co-workers. I suppose you want the same?” Rarity lightly shook her head. “No, not a co-worker.” She walked in front of the stallion and smiled at him softly. Though this wasn’t the same one Soul had seen earlier, it was different. He couldn’t exactly tell why, but it was more… warm and down to earth. After giving the smile, Rarity lifted her hoof and reached at Soul, placing a hoof on his shoulder gently enough that he could barely tell it was there and didn’t react to it in the moment, locking their eyes together. “A friend.” When she let that word part her mouth, she pulled her hoof back and immediately turned away from the stallion without waiting for his respond or even reaction. Starting to make her way to their destination. It was as if she wasn’t even waiting for a response or reaction from him, but instead wanted to make a hidden announcement of claiming his friendship. Even though she would’ve wanted to maintain the act, she simply couldn’t keep her cool which caused her to peek behind her at the stallion to see what was written on his face. Nothing. There was nothing giving an answer to Rarity’s statement. Just a blank look with narrowed lips on his face with his eyes only slightly bulged. Rarity couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed with the reaction, but just when she was about to open her mouth, Soul finally gave her what she wanted. A smile.